Decking the Halls with Orange Pomanders
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Orange Pomanders are a simple, classic and beautiful way to usher the holidays into your home. And your kitchen.
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It’s been a long-standing tradition in our house to create these pomanders and place them in various locations. The scent of the holidays permeates our home and makes everything seem just a little bit more wonderful.
Simple Tools Needed to Make Orange Pomanders
- Firm, fresh citrus fruit. I like to use naval oranges or cuties. Or a combination of both.
- Toothpicks to poke design holes.
- Whole cloves.
- Citrus zester or vegetable peeler if you want to create designs in the skin of the orange.
- Elastic to make even designs. Or eliminate it for freeform designs.
- Kitchen twine to hang the pomanders.
How to Make the Orange Pomanders
- To carve patterns of skin in the orange, use the corner of a citrus zester to make designs. A peeler will make larger strips.
- Using a toothpick, poke a row of holes in the orange. I learned this after years of sore fingers. This makes poking the cloves into the orange a simple job!
- If even rows and geometric designs inspire you, Martha Stewart places a rubber band around the oranges to make perfect circles.
- Finish the pomanders by rolling them in ground spices like cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg or cardamom.
Making an Orange Pomander Arrangement
Designs with odd numbers are most pleasing to the eye. I like using either 3 or 5 oranges per arrangement. I also like to add fresh greens, a few cinnamon sticks, fresh pine cones and addition whole cloves.
Inspiring Orange Pomanders
Orange Pomanders Inspirations
How to make a pomander
"Clove-studded citrus fruits were used in medieval times to perfume the air but they are equally appealing Christmas decorations today."
How to Make an Orange & Clove Christmas Topiary
"The first time I made a clove-studded orange I thought it was the most magical thing ever! Of course, I was in second or maybe third grade but I was so proud to take it home to my Mom and have her smell it. And as I stood at my kitchen counter sticking cloves into little mandarin oranges to make a Christmas topiary for my table, all of those childhood memories came flooding back."
Clove Studded Fruit Topiary
Clove-studded oranges, or Pomander balls, were featured in this Clove Studded Fruit Topiary Centerpiece.
Make DIY Pomander Balls (and How to Decorate with Them)
"To create a gorgeous arrangement, we recommend filling a container with floral foam. Use florist's wire to secure evergreen sprigs, pinecones, and pomanders to the foam. Fill in any holes or gaps with extra greenery until the foam is covered."
Osage Orange and Clove Pomander Arrangement by Holly Chapple on Instagram
"Filling the house with fragrance and tradition. Love my orange and clove pomanders mixed with osage oranges (hedge apples) pine cones and evergreen."
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